Since 2008, we have raised research funding for scientists through this non-profit adopt a star program for Kepler targets. When you adopt a star, all proceeds support the search for Earth-like planets and characterization of the target stars by astronomers. Within a few minutes you will receive an email with links to download your certificate and view your star in our database ★ Read more »

Adopt a Kepler star for only $10!

All stars have been observed for up to 4 years by the Kepler space telescope, as part of a search for alien planets. Choose your star by entering its KIC #, enter the name you wish to appear on the certificate, then click Donate Now. Need more than one star? Use the Shopping Cart to adopt them all with a single payment.

Adopt a Kepler double star for only $15!

All double stars come from the Kepler Eclipsing Binary Catalog. These are two stars embraced in the cosmic dance of gravity, which appear as a single point of light in the sky. Choose your star by entering its KIC #, enter the name you wish to appear on the certificate, then click Donate Now. Use the Shopping Cart to adopt many stars with a single payment.

Adopt a suspected planet host for only $25!

These are stars listed in the NASA Exoplanet Archive where a planet-like signal has been found, but where other scenarios that could mimic a planet have not yet been ruled out. Choose your star by entering its KIC #, enter the name you wish to appear on the certificate, then click Donate Now. Use the Shopping Cart to adopt many stars with a single payment.

Adopt a confirmed planetary system for only $50!

These are confirmed planetary systems identified in the NASA Exoplanet Archive. All of these stars have an official Kepler number and are marked with a special blue icon in Google Sky. Choose your star by entering its KIC #, enter the name you wish to appear on the certificate, then click Donate Now. Use the Shopping Cart to adopt many stars with a single payment.

WHO WE ARE: I’m Travis Metcalfe, an astronomer at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado. I started this non-profit adopt a star program in January 2008 to help raise research funds for the Kepler Asteroseismic Science Consortium, a large international team of scientists. Our work is central to the science goals of the Kepler mission, but NASA is not allowed to fund foreign organizations—that’s why we need your support!

WHAT WE DO: The Kepler space telescope was launched by NASA in 2009. Over four years, it monitored the brightness of more than 150,000 stars in the constellations Cygnus and Lyra. Some of the target stars have planets, and some of those planets pass directly in front of the parent star. The small dip in light that we see as the star is eclipsed tells us the size of the planet relative to the star. We determine the absolute sizes and ages of these planetary systems by measuring the properties of the parent stars.

WHY CHOOSE US: We are professional astronomers, and this program is run by a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. You can feel confident that your donation will support cutting-edge research on the stars that you adopt. So adopt a star and support our work! Who knows? Maybe an Earth-like planet will be found around the star that you adopt—how cool would that be?

HOW IT WORKS: First, select a Kepler target star from our database. If you don’t choose a specific star, we will give you the brightest star available. Next, enter the name or dedication that you would like on your certificate. Finally, click the “Donate Now” button and complete your donation using a credit card or PayPal account. Within a few minutes our automated system will send you an email with links for you to download your certificate and view your adopted star in Google Sky.